The present disclosure relates generally to fuel supply systems and, more specifically, to systems and methods for water atomization in combustor assemblies using combustion turbine engine fuel.
At least some known combustion turbine engines include a compressor, at least one combustor, and a turbine coupled together in a serial flow relationship. More specifically, the compressor and turbine are coupled through a shaft to form a high-pressure rotor assembly. Air entering the turbine engine is mixed with a fuel flow from a fuel supply system and prior to it being ignited in a combustion chamber to form a high energy gas stream. The high energy gas stream flows through the turbine to rotatably drive the turbine such that the shaft rotatably drives the compressor.
The combustion turbine engine may operate with any of several types of fuels including, for example, liquid fuels or gaseous fuels that are supplied to the combustion chamber from the fuel supply system. During combustion of at least some known liquid fuels, the liquid fuel flow is atomized with a stream of high-pressure air supplied by an atomizing air compressor. Additionally, water may also be injected in the combustion chamber, along with liquid fuel flow to facilitate reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. Typically, water injected into the combustion chamber is also atomized with a stream of high-pressure air supplied by the atomizing air compressor. During combustion of at least some known gaseous fuels, the gaseous fuel flow does not need to be atomized, and thus the atomizing air compressor is not required. However, injecting atomized water into the combustion chamber with the gaseous fuel flow may facilitate reducing NOx emissions. However, for at least some turbine engines that operate with only gaseous fuel, adding a separate atomizing air compressor increases the overall cost of the combustion turbine engine.